Nice to see Maatta & Harrington moving on in the playoffs. Likely their last year there. Well, Olli should probably return. I'll need to buy the subscription to see that series, Marcantuoni (future 4th liner of Penisburgh!) and then those 2 defensive stalwarts.

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Roger Sterling wrote:Nice to see Maatta & Harrington moving on in the playoffs. Likely their last year there. Well, Olli should probably return. I'll need to buy the subscription to see that series, Marcantuoni (future 4th liner of Penisburgh!) and then those 2 defensive stalwarts.

Game 2 and 4, either team could have taken (and the tying goal was the result of a disgusting display of incompetent officiating). Game 1, London was all over Kitchener in the first period, then Kitchener played as well or better than London the rest of the game. The only blowout was game 3, and that was all Kitchener.

Could Kitchener come back? Yes. Will they? I'd like to believe so, but I wouldn't be wagering real money on it.

I'm ok either way, I want to see Matia come up big and have it really affect his game (highly unlikely) but with Harrington and Maatta on London, I'll be pulling for them. I don't dislike the Rangers or Knights, or any OHL team. If you are asking me if I hate any teams in the WHL, I'll give you a nice list, but the OHL and QMJHL I rarely watch so it's just spot checking with buying the random game (very random). But yeah, a 3-1 series, the Knights would have to fuck that up big time for Rangers to be back in it.

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Devilsfanatic wrote:I don't think Oli Maata has much of a future as a NHL defenseman. He has bad positioning and I think he'll bust.

Could be worse, he could throw a hissy fit for being a shit player and ride the bus home with fans and then get kicked off the team. But, thankfully, he's smarter than that and the scouts know more than you and I and everyone else here.

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Devilsfanatic wrote:Admittedly, I don't give a damn about younger players who will end up playing CIS or working at Home Depot when they don't pan out. Those kind of posts are for your eyes only anyway

Roger Sterling wrote:Your approach might be best, just consider them all shit and it's all up from there.

So with that, Olli & Scott suck ass.

Laughton's a pretty good Canadien name, say 4 stars. And since he was drafted 22nd overall, that gives him an overall score of 88. Olli Maatta has the best hockey name of the bunch. I give him an A+, or a 4.3. Either works. He was also drafted 22nd overall, giving him a score of 17.7. Now, he's not as good a prospect as Laughton but still an awesome fuckin' pick. Guaranteed NHLer.

Rogers Pancreas wrote:Laughton's a pretty good Canadien name, say 4 stars. And since he was drafted 22nd overall, that gives him an overall score of 88. Olli Maatta has the best hockey name of the bunch. I give him an A+, or a 4.3. Either works. He was also drafted 22nd overall, giving him a score of 17.7. Now, he's not as good a prospect as Laughton but still an awesome fuckin' pick. Guaranteed NHLer.

Lol, 88 to 17.7, you are a bastard.

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On May 2nd, the London Free Press provided the following quote from Branch describing why the host announcement was delayed-

“We don't want one team to gain a psychological edge over the other in the final,” Branch said. “That's what we want to avoid. We're trying to protect the integrity of the game and our championship series.”

But in today's London Free Press, Hunter explains that the Knights were told they would be hosting in 2014 before the final game -

The 96th edition of the Memorial Cup will take place May 16-25, 2014, at Budweiser Gardens.“I just don’t know what to say,” Hunter said. “So much has happened. I found out just before the game when Trevor Whiffen (Knights’ governor) came in and said ‘we got it.’ It’s just been amazing.”

So, did telling the Knights before Game 7 provide them the psychological advantage the league wanted to avoid to protect the integrity of the game?

Devilsfanatic wrote:What psychological edge? They almost blew it in epic Leaf proportions lol.

Who are you kidding? They knew before the game that, no matter what happened last night, they were in the Memorial Cup next year and that they had the chance to appear 3 times running. Yes, they were lucky to hang on, considering the suspension to Barrie's Anthony Camara for running Griffith (who didn't miss a fucking shift) and the injury to Mark Scheifele (luckily for London, Anderson wasn't even penalized on the headshot). Seriously, it's worse than watching the Pens.

Barrie did well to make London earn it, but knowing that your team is guaranteed a spot in next year's Cup has to be a pick me up - particularly against a strong team in Barrie.

That London is getting the mem cup is a nice furthering of the fuck you to Windsor. Obviously the spits weren't going to host it, but it does really emphasize that they should have gotten the right to host after back to back championships.

CharlieGirl wrote:Who are you kidding? They knew before the game that, no matter what happened last night, they were in the Memorial Cup next year and that they had the chance to appear 3 times running. Yes, they were lucky to hang on, considering the suspension to Barrie's Anthony Camara for running Griffith (who didn't miss a fucking shift) and the injury to Mark Scheifele (luckily for London, Anderson wasn't even penalized on the headshot). Seriously, it's worse than watching the Pens.

Barrie did well to make London earn it, but knowing that your team is guaranteed a spot in next year's Cup has to be a pick me up - particularly against a strong team in Barrie.

Devilsfanatic wrote:Guelph acquires Koekkoek and Rychel from Windsor for Milne and picks. Erie had acquired Gaunce for Harper and picks. Jesse Graham found his way to Saginaw for picks. The arms race is on and Erie and Guelph are my front runners for the West and London is in a world of hurt.

Massive deal for Guelph. Their goaltending is still a bit suspect, but there isn't a lot better out there this year.

I hope these fuckers keep loading up. Kitchener is a seller this year, and he needs to get a big return for good players.

Devilsfanatic wrote:Ya, I can imagine. I didn't know OHL players could refuse trades. Anyway, the Koekkoek, Rychel deal isn't done yet, and seeing as how it got leaked, I think that the Spits might be pissed. Will wait and see how that unfolds.

A lot of first rounders will have a quasi-no trade in their contracts, as well as import players (they want assurances that they won't be drafted by Ottawa then shipped off to a crappy team (not in the standings but for environment and/or development).

Devilsfanatic wrote:The not being able to trade 1st rounders is infuriating as well. I wonder what the Gens are going to do. I'm starting to appreciate the league a lot more than I used to. Remember when I said I could care less about kids that will probably end up in the CIS? Whoops.

Not being able to trade first rounders is an OHL rule (the Q and W can) - while it does limit teams in one sense, the biggest thing is that it makes 2nd round picks very valuable and stops teams from not being able to compete at all.

I'm glad you see now what CHL fans have known for ages. It's good hockey, and it's great to watch a kid go from a 16 year old rookie to an NHL player, or to the CIS and a degree.

Thomas Malthus wrote:Is that prissy or justified? Seems kind of like a bitch move.

It does, to an extent. Keep in mind, this kid spent a couple of years in Peterborough and then was traded to Windsor. I find it hard to imagine anyone happy about going to or being in Windsor but apparently he is. Or maybe he just doesn't want to move to a new city and all that entails - new teammates/billets/etc.

Devilsfanatic wrote:With McGinn, Fabbri, Kosmachuk, Finn, Rychel, Ebert, they're pretty formidable. Goalie is weak. Generals have started to struggle a bit. The Knights will be making a move for sure. Heard that Koekkoek, if he's traded from the Spits, he'll quit the O and play out the season at home or not play at all.

That's an exaggeration to ruin his character. His agent had to step in about that. He has a no movement agreement with the Spitfires but Rychel has been asking him if he'd be willing to move for the better of the team. London really wants him and the word is that he'd goto London, but doesn't see the point going elsewhere.